Page 16 - European Energy Innovation - winter 2019 publication
P. 16
16 Winter 2019 European Energy Innovation
CLIMATE CHANGE
A new energy forecast shows
the danger of inaction as well
as a pathway to progress
By Mark Radka (pictured), Chief, Energy and Climate Branch, United Nations Environment Programme
Officials from nearly every
country are gathered gas emissions while not stunting globally, the electricity generated by
in Madrid for the latest economic development is a over 500 large power plants would
round of international sharp pick-up in energy efficiency be saved, trimming utility bills for
improvements across the world. consumers by $100 billion.
climate talks – and their meetings
come on the heels of a new warning. Governments and the private sector Both governments and businesses
must heed this call. have roles to play in doubling down
The International Energy Agency, in on energy efficiency. Governments
a November report, calculated that Far too much of the energy used
even if all nations deliver on their today in countries across the world
climate pledges to date, the world is is in a sense wasted. For example,
on track for ever-rising greenhouse even in wealthy nations, many homes
gas emissions through 2040. That’s a are poorly sealed – meaning heated
far cry from the cuts needed to meet or cooled air goes straight outdoors,
the goals of the Paris Agreement. providing no benefit to the occupants.
And many buildings rely on decades-
The IEA also delivered a key old, inefficient technologies to heat or
insight: The “single most important cool the air in the first place.
element” for reducing greenhouse
More efficient lamps, air conditioners,
refrigerators, and other appliances
are available today, but energy
efficiency standards and investments
don’t promote their widespread use,
even though they save money for
consumers and society as a whole.
Governments in some economies
have adopted standards that ban
inefficient products from their
markets. In most countries, however,
either no standards exist or they
haven’t kept pace with advances
in technology and are outdated,
meaning that roughly two thirds of
the world’s energy is consumed by
products or in buildings that are in a
sense out of date.
This leaves large opportunities
for improvement. If stringent
policies covering just five electricity
consuming products were adopted
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